United States Department of Transportation
i
Studies of Poststrike Air Traffic Control Trainees: III. Changes in Demographic Characteristics of Academy Entrants and Biodemographic Predictors of Success in Air Traffic Controller Selection and Academy Screening
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1990-03-01
[PDF-942.76 KB]
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Abstract:A Biographical Questionnaire (BQ) was completed by 3,578 air traffic control students who entered the F M Academy between October 1985 and September 1987. The demographic characteristics of these more recent Academy trainees (from a more stabilized poststrike selection process) were compared with two previous groups of Academy entrants. The impact of biodemographic characteristics on success in ATCS training was evaluated for all entrants, and then for gender and minority status subgroups. Also, results were obtained from the aptitude tests that were used to select the Academy entrants. Pooled within-groups correlations between the discriminating variables and the canonical discriminant function were calculated to determine the characteristics related to Academy pass/fail status. Some of the variables that were significantly related to Academy performance included high school math grades, personal performance expectations, age, and the number of times an ATCS applicant had taken the qualifying aptitude tests. The most consistent and important predictor of success was the average grade in high school mathematics courses, while other predictors had varying significance depending on the demographic subgroup. While the age of Academy students (despite the age-30 limitation) bears a strong and consistent relationship to Academy success, other biodemographic factors can be used to improve recruitment and selection of ATCSs.
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